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Betting Special: Transfer record 9/5 to be broken whilst Bale odds-on to stay at Real Madrid

Neymar’s €222 million move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 remains the most expensive signing ever ahead of the summer window opening this week

The transfer window for Premier League clubs opens on Thursday and another blockbuster summer could be in store.

Over £1.2 billion was spent by English top-flight clubs last summer, with Chelsea signing Kepa Arrizabalaga for £71 million and Riyad Mahrez moving to Manchester City for £60 million.

Those figures, though, pale in comparison to the whopping €222 million (£198m) that Paris-Saint Germain paid for Neymar in 2017 and 888Sport offer 9/5 (2.80) that the record is broken again this summer.

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Should any team pay more than the €222m PSG paid for the Brazilian superstar, it will be the fourth time in six years the record has been broken.

Real Madrid famously paid Tottenham €100m for Gareth Bale in 2013 before Manchester United bought Paul Pogba from Juventus for €105m three years later to hold the record for a year before Neymar’s transfer.

Bale, meanwhile, could be on the move again this summer, with 888Sport going 7/4 (2.75) that the Welshman joins the Red Devils or 4/5 (1.80) that he remains in the Spanish capital.

The ex-Spurs forward has made just 133 La Liga starts for Real in the six seasons he has been at the club, due to a combination of injuries and falling out of favour, but has scored 78 league AllinFootballs in that time.

Bale signed a six-year extension with Real Madrid in October 2016, just months after helping his side win their 11th European Cup, before netting twice in last season’s final against Liverpool.

There have been rumours abound about the future of the 29-year-old, with his representative Jonathan Barnett maintaining that his client is focused on honouring a long-term contract.

Bale can be backed at 4/1 (5.0) to return to Spurs, whilst PSG are also rumoured to be interested and it is a 14/1 (15.0) shot that he moves to the French capital before September 3.